The game is slanted

[Nordoki]

The only class that can identify items looted is the Rogue.

The only class that can use range weapons from birth is the Rogue.

One of the easiest way to build up levels in the beginning game is for a Rogue to stand on a rock and use throwing knives at opponents. Very rare damage is taken only when some rare range weapon using mobs should show up.

Then, when sufficient levels and skills are built up, we venture into the sewers (which are very simple to get through) and the theatre. Now the heaviest battles occurs on the theatre proper:

2 - Auditorium Battle

Here you’ll face several goblins, including a pair of goblin mages and a ballista goblin, plus a war troll. This seems like a tough battle, but there are a couple of tricks. First off, none of the enemies will chase you up the stairs (at Exit C), and only rarely will one even go through the doorway to the stairs. That means you have a safe spot where you can regroup and save, and so it's easy enough to use hit-and-run tactics to defeat the goblins. Just start at the stairs, run into the auditorium to do a little damage, and then run back to the stairs to heal.

Once you've killed the mages, be sure to loot the items they drop. One should drop the theater key, which will allow you to open up all of the locked doors in the theater. Then, with the mages out of the way, climb up onto the stage (#3) and kill the ballista goblin there. (To get onto the stage, first face it and then press the SPACEBAR to jump.) The regular goblins and the war troll won't be able to follow you there, and so you can just sit there at your leisure and pick them off with ranged attacks. The troll will take a while, but you should get over 20,000 experience for killing it.

The most efficient way to do this is with range weapons. Very little damage is taken when properly positioned in the stairs doorway. Quite simple to pick off the majority of the mobs including the war troll.

Any melee based fighter is s.o.l. Magic based characters must wait for mana replenishment leaving the Rogue to rule.

I would hazard a guess that the pure fighter class has the most difficult time until after he advances to his next class. Especially since he has to rely on vendors to identify all the loot he/she has lugged over to him.

[GawainBS]

Actually, Ranged weapons are rather sub par in this game.

[Nordoki]

Actually, Ranged weapons are rather sub par in this game.

That is a mote point. Especially considering how many Specialty Classes require it.

Too add to the slantedness of the game, at the time of character creation, the Wylvan Male starts 1 Stat point lower than all the rest. It might be minor, but it adds to the cost of raising the stats for advancement.

The Thrall Male has an average base cost per skill that is higher than all the other races available too. This might be nit picking, but I find it interesting nonetheless.

[swcarter]

The only class that can use range weapons from birth is the Rogue.

That's not true, is it? Only rogues start with a ranged weapon, but everybody can use them, and you're guaranteed to find some in the sewers. Or am I misremembering the game?

SWC

[Nordoki]

That's not true, is it? Only rogues start with a ranged weapon, but everybody can use them, and you're guaranteed to find some in the sewers. Or am I misremembering the game?

SWC

The ability to learn them is there, yes. But only the Rogue starts with a ranged weapon in the arsenal. You find weapons along the way, but if you cannot identify it, you cannot use it. Only the Rogue can identify things.

[darkpark]

You do not need to identify an item in order to use it. I do agree that the game is slanted but not in the manner you describe. It is slanted towards melee combat. In the beginning of the game, it would be very difficult if not impossible to get into fargrove w/o engaging in some form of melee combat.

Nevertheless, I'm still enjoying this game (I think I'm on my 4th or 5th run-through). The story isn't original (although interesting) it's the character development that makes me want to replay it. Also, the melee combat style is very fun and satisfying. I have played other RPGs that had a chase or first-person action style but the combat was a bit clunk and/or dull. (Battlespire and Morrowind come to mind. Morrowind was/is a terrific game, but the melee combat wasn't all that fun.)

[Scottg]

You find weapons along the way, but if you cannot identify it, you cannot use it. Only the Rogue can identify things.

Wrong..

You need to have access to a given skill in order to use an item, it has nothing to do with identification.

Of course how *well* you can use it depends on if you meet the items requirements (both attributes and skill levels if required). And to know what the requirements are you need to identify it yourself or pay to have it done.

Furthermore, several classes have access to the skill identify - BUT the only 1st tier class that has access to the skill Identify is the Rogue.

Personally, I run through the Sewers and Theater as fast as I can (without opening any chests) - in Fargrove there is a FAR better place to level-up (near the fighters guild). Even drawn-out, the Sewers and Theater probably only represent about 10% of the game.

IMO the preferred class (for several reasons) is the Adept - notably for the healing spell for the Sewers and the Theater.

[darkpark]

Other than the skill requirement, I think the attribute requirement for all weapons and armor is strength, no? As for the skill requirment, one can *usually* guess which one is needed. I suppose for a first time player, it might not be readily apparent but for a person that has played more than once it might not be that hard.

[Claudius]

you can easily find a bow which can be used without identification.

I agree the troll, mages, ballista are difficult when you first play the game but when you are experienced they are pretty easy to take out without the bow. Just run in hack people up avoid the troll drink potions. Try and dodge the ballista and when you know it is fired you are free to kill the mages. After getting your licks in run away drink a potion. Then repeat run in dodge ballista hone in on mage. Keep doing untill mage is dead. Then climb up platform chop ballista raise shield when its gonna fire. Chop until ballista is dead. Now go get a snack get out your bow and kill the troll and whatever non-ranged goblins are left.

It doesn't matter what class you are for my strategy. You just need to harvest potions from random spawns which means you need some arcade (not arcane) skill. You don't need magic or other things.

Hint: spend some points to use your equip without penalty and build some attributes such as dex agi vit. You may feel you should save these points but really the game isn't about efficiency but rather it is about powering your way to spots where you can rake in xp. If your having trouble with goblins you need to spend your points which will let you get to the ancients and moonbeast sooner giving you plenty of xp.